Use Emotional Intelligence to Become a Better Leader

The ability to interpret, understand and
appropriately respond to other people's emotions is incredibly important in the
business world. That's called emotional intelligence, and great leaders use it
to better understand their employees, connect with their clients and build
stronger businesses.

Leading with emotional intelligence can
create a teamwork-inspired environment and increase productivity. Here's how to use it
in your office to produce maximum outcomes and boost your business:

Care About Your Employees

True leaders are able to balance their
hearts with their heads. This means sometimes letting up on employee
expectations and showing compassion. Employees want to be appreciated, and
bosses who consistently say “thank you” for good work and mentor employees are
rewarded with better performance, increased loyalty and a stronger team.

Embrace Differences

Today's work environment is more diverse
than ever before, and people want to feel free to be themselves at work.
Embrace the difference in your team, and leverage what makes your employees
unique to make the best use of abilities and talents. Celebrate the differences
while also looking for common ground that will unite your team.

Be Accountable

Great
leaders are still equals with their employees on many levels – they hold themselves
accountable, they follow the same rules of engagement, and they are integrated
members of the team instead of mysterious, unavailable entities in a corner
office. Be brave enough to admit when you are wrong, show your employees you
can be trusted, work on improving your weaknesses and be approachable.

Be Mindful

The best leaders use emotional intelligence
to give feedback, make suggestions and guide their employees to realizing their
full potential. Be mindful of your employees' needs and help them grow and
mature in their positions, even if a project has ended or a department's
performance has already met expectations. Invest in your employees in this way,
and they will become more
engaged and invested in your business.

Communicate Clearly

Effective communication is a hallmark of
emotional intelligence. Work on clearly conveying directions to your staff,
stay in communication regularly and really practice the art of listening. Too
often, people equate communication with talking, but great leaders know that
listening is the most important part of the skill.

Resolve Conflicts with Emotional
Intelligence

Conflicts in the workplace disrupt
efficiency and threaten productivity. Handle conflicts the emotionally
intelligent way – by listening to both sides and creating a fair resolution
that restores workplace productivity.